Scottish Executive

Care of Elderly People

Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when the review into the true cost of care will be completed and published.

Mrs Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made by COSLA in conjunction with independent and church care home sectors in their examination of the true cost of care for older people.

Mr Tom McCabe: As part of the agreement on care home fee levels for 2003-04, COSLA and the care home sector have established a working group to consider a mutually acceptable framework for assessing the cost of providing care in homes for older people in different parts of Scotland from 2005-06. The group is due to report by the end of November.

Crofting

Eleanor Scott (Highlands and Islands) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the proposed crofting reform legislation will include provision to establish new crofts outwith the existing crofting counties.

Allan Wilson: There are currently no plans to include such a provision.

Economy

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to improve the Borders economy.

Mr Jim Wallace: A wide range of policies are in place to promote and sustain the Borders economy and future economic development. Scottish Enterprise Borders is taking action in line with the direction and priorities set out in the Executive’s A Smart, Successful Scotland . The Borders Local Economic Forum allows co-ordinated delivery of local economic development activities.

Economy

Mr Duncan McNeil (Greenock and Inverclyde) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to provide childcare support for those in work, training or education in Greenock and Inverclyde, as referred to in A Partnership for a Better Scotland .

Ms Margaret Curran: A Partnership for a Better Scotland refers to the announcement, as part of the Scottish Budget for 2003-06, that £20 million funding would be made available in 2004-06 to help ensure that child care was not a barrier for people in disadvantaged communities engaging with work, training or education.

  The Executive is currently developing plans for the roll out of this funding from April 2004. I shall make a further announcement in due course.

Economy

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive by how much GDP per person in employment will have to grow to achieve the same level as the UK average by 2006.

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive by how much GDP will have to grow between 2003 and 2006 to achieve the same level per head as the UK average by 2006.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive does not forecast UK or Scottish Gross Domestic Product, productivity or employment levels.

Economy

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is using to assess performance on its key economic aim of improving Scotland’s skills base, as referred to in A Partnership for a Better Scotland .

Mr Jim Wallace: To assess performance against the aim of improving Scotland’s skill base we have a range of indicators as published in Measuring Scotland’s Progress towards Smart, Successful Scotland , and in the Lifelong Learning Strategy Life Through Learning: Learning Through Life  which was launched in February 2003. The latter document lists the following indicators: the proportion of 16- to 19-year-olds not in education, employment, or training; participation and retention of 16- to 19-year-olds in school or further education; graduates as a proportion of the workforce; proportion of working age adults whose highest qualification is below Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) 5; proportion of 18- to 29-year-olds olds whose highest qualification is below SCQF level 6, and proportion of people in employment undertaking training.

Enterprise

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is using to assess the effectiveness of its efforts to encourage a culture of enterprise; what targets it has set for each of these measures, and what action it is taking to achieve them, as referred to in A Partnership for a Better Scotland .

Mr Jim Wallace: The Executive’s targets in relation to enterprise are set out in Building a Better Scotland (BABS) which was published in September 2002. As is noted in BABS, several of these targets are derived from the progress measures set out in Measuring Scotland’s Progress Towards a Smart, Successful Scotland . The latest report on progress against these measures was published on the Executive’s website in March 2003.

  Additionally, we shall further promote an enterprise culture in our schools, through Determined to Succeed (DtS) our strategy for Enterprise in Education (E in E). We are working with local authorities (LAs) to develop E in E plans detailing how DtS will be delivered locally. We will agree targets with LAs based on local needs and against the background of our wish to make sure every pupil has the opportunity to learn entrepreneurial skills at school.

Environment

Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it is tackling noise pollution.

Allan Wilson: The Pollution, Prevention and Control (Scotland) Regulations 2000 introduced stringent controls specifically to regulate noise from relevant industrial installations.

  In addition, the Scottish Executive is preparing to implement, by July 2004, Council Directive 2002/49/EC on the assessment and management of environmental noise. The directive requires several initiatives to be put in place relating to noise from roads, railways, airports and industry. These initiatives are to be taken forward progressively and include noise mapping, provision of information to the public on environmental noise and its effects and, where necessary, the adoption of action plans with a view to preventing and reducing excessive noise.

Environment

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is using to assess the effectiveness of its efforts to promote Scotland as a good place to live and work; what targets it has set for each of these measures, and what action it is taking to achieve them, as referred to in A Partnership for a Better Scotland .

Mr Jack McConnell: We are currently preparing plans to take forward the Fresh Talent initiative including improved promotion of Scotland abroad and the establishment of a one-stop advisory service for those wishing to live and work in Scotland. Targets will be considered in due course.

Fisheries

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the £10 million support package announced for shore-based fishing businesses has been disbursed.

Ross Finnie: The £10 million transitional support package is targeted at the owners of vessels worst affected by EU cod recovery measures agreed last December. As of this week, grant payments of just over £2.2 million have been paid to vessel owners and a further £2.6 million of grant payments are being processed for payment.

  We have also increased our contribution to local authorities towards the funding of any hardship relief they grant to harbours and other businesses affected by the reduction in white fish catches.

Forestry

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to implement target 16 of objective 10 of the Environment and Rural Development chapter of its Draft Budget 2004-05 in order to support the development of new products, markets and infrastructure and to enable the full potential of Scotland's timber resource to be realised; what budget line will be utilised for this purpose; how much of the budget of (a) its Environment and Rural Development Department, (b) the Forestry Commission and (c) Forest Enterprise will be spent (i) this year and (ii) in each of the next two years to achieve this target, and what proportion of each of these organisation's budgets this expenditure represents.

Allan Wilson: Our policies and priority actions to help the development of new products, markets and infrastructure and to enable the full potential of Scotland's timber resource to be realised are set out in the Scottish Forestry Strategy . Key areas of support include Scottish Enterprise support of the Scottish Forest Industries Cluster of nearly £1 million. Other key areas are support for the new Centre for Timber Engineering at Napier University and membership and support for the Timber Transport Forum. Forestry Commission staff are working with many partners to promote more uses for timber and Forest Enterprise offer considerable support for industry through long-term contracts. This work is an integral part of our operations and cannot readily be costed separately.

Fuel Poverty

John Swinburne (Central Scotland) (SSCUP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to increase the level of action being taken to tackle fuel poverty.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: We have previously announced the extension of the Central Heating Installation Programme to replace or upgrade 4,000 partial central heating systems for people 80 years of age and older from the next financial year.

  We have recently announced the Warm Deal allocation for this financial year and have allowed local authorities more flexibility to use their allocation to tackle fuel poverty in their area.

  We are awaiting the results of the fuel poverty report from the Scottish House Condition Survey 2002 before we decide on further action to tackle fuel poverty.

Health

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many drugs have been banned and withdrawn from use since April 2002.

Malcolm Chisholm: The safety of medicines is a reserved matter and is the responsibility of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.

  The agency has advised that preparations containing the herbal ingredient Kava kava, except for external use, have been withdrawn from the market due to rare but serious liver toxicity. No other medicines have been withdrawn for safety reasons since April 2002.

  In February 2003, Metrodin High Purity, a product used in IVF treatment, was withdrawn from use in the UK as a precautionary measure.

Health

Alex Fergusson (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many leukaemia patients, and those with other blood-related diseases, there are in Scotland who require blood stem cell or bone marrow transplants.

Malcolm Chisholm: In 2002, 50 patients with a principal diagnosis of leukaemia or Hodgkin’s disease or non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma had bone marrow transplants.

  In the same year there were 254 peripheral blood stem cell transplants for people with a principal diagnosis of leukaemia or multiple myeloma or other malignant plasma cell neoplasms.

Health

Alex Fergusson (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding it provides to enable blood donors to also register as potential bone marrow donors.

Malcolm Chisholm: The British Bone Marrow Registry (BBMR) is run by the National Blood Service in England on behalf of the English, Scottish and Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Services.

  The Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service provide tissue typing in support of the BBMR.

Housing

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will enable Cube Housing Association Ltd to achieve competitive financial parity with other stock transfer arrangements rather than continue its 10.1% deferred interest payments to Communities Scotland.

Ms Margaret Curran: The financial arrangement referred to is not with Communities Scotland but Scottish Homes.

  The financial arrangements entered into at the time of transfer were part of the overall sale agreement. However, I understand that it is open to Cube Housing Association to explore with Scottish Homes the option of either re-financing the loan with an alternative financial institution or re-scheduling the loan with Scottish Homes. This will be subject to any contractual obligations or relevant prescribed regulations.

Housing

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give an outline of the voluntary accreditation scheme for private landlords, as referred to in A Partnership for a Better Scotland .

Ms Margaret Curran: The intention is that schemes will be established locally on a voluntary basis by local authorities and landlords working in partnership, and work is in progress to provide suitable advice and guidance. Communities Scotland has commissioned a project to be completed by the spring of next year, which will develop an appropriate set of core standards to which accreditation could refer, together with good practice for private landlords. The project will also produce a guide to good practice for the establishment and operation of local accreditation schemes. Where a local authority does not establish a scheme, Communities Scotland will provide the necessary support for landlords to do so themselves.

Motor Vehicles

Mr Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to tackle anti-social use of cars.

Ms Margaret Curran: Anti-social use of cars can take a number of forms ranging from dangerous driving, abandonment and excessive noise through to throwing litter from vehicles. The police are responsible for the enforcement of the road traffic law. Local authorities are responsible for dealing with abandoned cars, litter and noise nuisance.

  The Executive will consider whether further action to tackle anti-social use of cars is necessary in the context of our comprehensive strategy for tackling anti-social behaviour.

Pensioners

John Swinburne (Central Scotland) (SSCUP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many pensioner households were considered to be in fuel poverty in each year since 1997.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-230 on 18 June 2003. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

  The Scottish House Condition Survey 1996 is our most recent analysis. We do not have the information requested for each year since 1997.

Planning

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether all individuals affected by a planning proposal should have equal status in the consultation process.

Ms Margaret Curran: Some members of the public benefit from statutory requirements for notification of planning applications, either as, for example, neighbours or owners, occupiers or lessees of the land to be developed. However, it is open to anyone to comment to the planning authority on a planning application.

  It is for the planning authority to give due consideration to representations and objections to planning applications before reaching a decision. The degree to which representations and objections may be taken into account will depend on the extent to which they relate to material planning considerations.

Rural Development

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-1792 by Ross Finnie on 27 August 2003, what the definitions are of large urban areas, other urban areas, accessible small towns, remote small towns, accessible rural areas and remote rural areas.

Ross Finnie: The information requested is set out in the following table:

  


Large urban areas 
  

Settlements of over 125,000 people 
  



Other urban areas 
  

Settlements of 10,000 to 125,000 people 
  



Accessible small tons 
  

Settlements of between 3,000 and 10,000 people and within 
  30 minutes drive time of a settlement of 10,000 or more 
  



Remote small towns 
  

Settlements of between 3,000 and 10,000 people and with 
  a drive time of over 30 minutes to a settlement of 10,000 
  or more 
  



Accessible rural areas 
  

Settlements of less than 3,000 people and within 30 minutes 
  drive time of a settlement of 10,000 or more 
  



Remote rural areas 
  

Settlements of less than 3,000 people and with a drive 
  time of over 30 minutes to a settlement of 10,000 or more 
  



  These are based on the Scottish Executive’s core definition of urban-rural Scotland a six-fold classification based on population size and drive times. The General Register Office of Scotland is responsible for the definition of settlements.

Schools

Shiona Baird (North East Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how many local authorities have now appointed school travel co-ordinators and how many schools have a Safer Routes to School scheme in operation.

Nicol Stephen: The Executive wrote to local authorities in February 2003, offering funding for school travel co-ordinators. Every authority took up this offer and has either filled or is in the process of filling the posts.

  The Executive published guidance on how to run Safer Routes to School in 1999. We will be collecting information on the Safer Routes to School schemes from the school travel co-ordinators in due course.

Scottish Agricultural College

Alex Johnstone (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether education will continue to be provided in the long term by the Scottish Agricultural College at the Craibstone complex in light of the strategic review announcement on Tuesday 16 September 2003.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Agricultural College’s (SAC) proposals for the delivery of education were described in its News Release dated 16 September. SAC said that it proposes to retain traditional HNC/HND provision on a regional basis in Ayrshire and Aberdeenshire, subject to market demand. Initially this will be by SAC’s own hand on existing sites, but moving to partnership delivery at alternative locations in Ayrshire, Aberdeenshire and other parts of Scotland as soon as possible.

Smoking

Maureen Macmillan (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any plans to target anti-smoking information and advertising towards teenage girls.

Mr Tom McCabe: Whilst there have been a substantial achievement in reducing the smoking prevalence among teenage boys it is disappointing that there has not been a similar decrease in smoking rates for teenage girls. The Scottish Executive is currently undertaking a detailed review of tobacco control policies with key partners. A tobacco control action plan will be published this autumn which will cover a wide range of measures including communication and prevention activity for this important group during the years of teenage transition.

Social Work

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has for the future operation of the Airborne Initiative.

Hugh Henry: We are currently considering the position in the light of a visit by the Social Work Services Inspectorate and an action plan submitted by Airborne.

Sport

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive in what ways it is supporting the recruitment and training of voluntary coaches and the development of clubs in all sports.

Mr Frank McAveety: The Executive attaches great importance to the valuable role coaches and clubs make in our efforts to encourage wider participation in sport.

  Through sportscotland we will have invested over £1.9 million in the three-year period to 2003-04 in a coaching network programme.

  It is essential if we are to achieve our aim of encouraging lifelong participation in sport that a strong club structure is in place. We will be aiming to develop closer links between schools and local clubs as part of the Active Schools Programme and coaching and club development issues will be addressed in that context.

Sport

Mr John Home Robertson (East Lothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the value of the horse racing industry is to the Scottish economy.

Mr Frank McAveety: A scoping study commissioned by Scottish Racing and published in 2002 highlighted that horse racing in Scotland contributes 1,700 full-time equivalent jobs and up to £125 million to the Scottish economy.

Standards in Scotland's Schools etc Act 2000

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is encouraging the involvement of pupils in the preparation of school development plans, as referred to in the Standards in Scotland's Schools etc Act 2000.

Peter Peacock: The Scottish Executive has given local authorities guidance on their duty under the Standards in Scotland’s School etc Act 2000 to ensure that annual development plans are prepared for their schools and that pupils attending the school are given an opportunity to make their views known first. In order to encourage good practice, examples of how schools have successfully developed pupil participation are included on the National Priorities website:

  http//:www.nationalpriorities.org.uk.

Tourism

Mr Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to promote Scotland as a prime food destination in western Europe in light of the current position of Taste of Scotland in respect of possible bankruptcy.

Mr Frank McAveety: VisitScotland’s promotion of Scotland in UK and overseas tourism markets uses the tremendous appeal of Scottish food and drink as a vitally important part of its marketing message. An excellent example of this was the recent and very successful Scotland with Catalonia event in Barcelona. Scottish food and drink companies were integral to this event, as they were last year during the similar Scotland in Sweden event in Stockholm.

  VisitScotland is committed to raising the quality of experience our visitors receive throughout their time in Scotland. The quality of food and drink is a major and growing part of that experience. That is why VisitScotland remains committed to the success of its Food Quality Assurance scheme, which until now has been run on its behalf by Taste of Scotland. VisitScotland are now reviewing the situation in the light of the position in which that company finds itself.

Young People

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to support capacity building for youth work in Glasgow.

Euan Robson: Support for local authority youth work provision is provided through community education Grant Aided Expenditure (GAE). In the current year, Glasgow’s allocation of GAE for community education amounts to £13.103 million, approximately half of which is estimated to be for youth work. As announced in Finance Circular No. 10-2002 (Local Government Financial settlement: 2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-06) an extra allowance of £5 million has been made available for youth work across Scotland from year 2004-05 until 2005-06. Glasgow’s share of this extra money amounts to £1.04 million.